There are many instances where it is highly desirable to lift substantial loads onto a vehicle for transport to another location and then off-load the vehicle. At times, such loads are at remote locations where there may be only a single individual available for lifting the load onto the vehicle or off-loading the vehicle. For example, hunting areas are typically at remote locations and it is oftentimes very difficult to lift game such as deer, hogs, antelopes and the like onto a vehicle by a single hunter or even a pair of hunters for transport to another location. Frequently, all-terrain vehicles are used for this purpose because of their capability to access remote locations. However, even all-terrain vehicles require one or more individuals to lift the game onto a support rack or basket carried by the vehicle and oftentimes this cannot be accomplished by a single or even a pair of hunters.
The present invention minimizes or eliminates the foregoing and other problems associated with lifting loads such as game onto a vehicle for transport and particularly provides a portable winching apparatus which can be readily and easily releasably mounted on a vehicle such as an all-terrain vehicle and later easily removed from the vehicle. In a preferred form of the present invention, there is provided a pair of support arms and associated brackets for mounting the lifting arms on structural support members carried by the vehicle. The brackets, support arms and associated winching apparatus may be carried on or in the vehicle for setup at the remote location. At that site, the brackets are fastened to the vehicle support members and the support arms are pivotally connected to the mounting brackets. The opposite ends of the arms are pivotally connected to a winch mounting element, e.g., a plate, the opposite side of which carries a winch. The winch is conventional and includes a reel mounted to the mounting plate for rotation about an axis, a lifting line about the reel terminating in a hook, and a handle for rotating the reel. Various ancillary parts are also provided on the winch, for example, a ratchet mechanism including a pawl to catch the reel under load conditions and maintain the load at a certain elevation. A chain is also provided for securement between the winch mounting plate and another part of the vehicle such that winch can be disposed over the load to be lifted. The support arms are preferably telescopic and thus can be disposed in adjusted lengthwise positions.
While the present invention is not limited to all-terrain vehicles, it is particularly useful with such ATV's. An ATV typically has either a basket at the rear end of the vehicle or a tubing rack. The present invention is useful with either the basket or tubing rack. Particularly, two sets of mounting brackets are provided depending upon whether the winch is to be mounted to the basket or to the tubing rack. Basically, however, both brackets are in the form of plates which are clamped to a basket support frame or tubing. A sleeve is carried by one of the plates and has a cylindrical opening for receiving a cylindrical rod. The rod in the sleeve is therefore pivotal about a generally vertical axis. Base ends of the support arms are bifurcated and extend about opposite sides of the rod. The bifurcated base of each support arm is pinned to the upstanding rod for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis. Thus, the mounting brackets in both cases afford pivotal movement of the support arms about mutually perpendicular axes. Where the all-terrain vehicle employs a basket, the mounting bracket plates are clamped on opposite sides of the square support tubing of the basket. Where the all-terrain vehicle has a tubing rack, the plates are mounted above and below an adjacent pair of generally cylindrical tubing members.
In a preferred form of the present invention, the opposite ends of the support arms are secured to the winch mounting plate for pivotal movement about side by side, generally vertical discrete axes. The chain is then connected between the winch support plate and the vehicle such that the chain and support arms support the winch over the load. The winch may also be directed to one side of the support arms, i.e., lies askew relative to the support arms by selective adjustment of the length of the support arms. In that position, neither support arm interferes with the rotation of the winch handle. At the site, the winch is located over the load and the line is attached to the load, e.g., by use of the hook. The load can then be lifted by operating the winch. Once lifted to the required elevation, the load can be disposed over and transferred to the basket or tube rack on the all-terrain vehicle. Once the load is supported by the vehicle per se, the winching apparatus can be dismantled from the vehicle for later use or remain on the vehicle for off-loading purposes.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided apparatus mountable on a vehicle for lifting loads comprising a pair of elongated support arms, a pair of mounting brackets for attachment to the vehicle, each support arm being pivotally mounted at one end to a respective mounting bracket for pivotal movement about generally perpendicular axes, a winch having a lifting line, a reel for the lifting line and carried for rotation about an axis and a handle for rotating the reel about the axis, a mounting element for carrying the winch and a discrete pivotal connection between an end of each support arm opposite one end and the mounting element enabling the winch and the mounting element to be directed to opposite sides of the arms.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided in a combination with an all-terrain vehicle having a body, wheels on the body and an engine carried by the body and a pair of fixed structural support members, a winching apparatus comprising a pair of elongated support arms, a pair of mounting brackets for securement to the structural support members carried by the vehicle, each support arm being pivotally mounted at one end to a respective mounting bracket for pivotal movement about generally perpendicular axes, a winch having a lifting line, a reel for the lifting line and carried for rotation about an axis and a handle for rotating the reel about the axis, a mounting element for carrying the winch, and discrete pivotal connections between opposite ends of the support arms from one end and the mounting element enabling the winch and the mounting elements to be directed to opposite sides of the arms.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved winching apparatus for lifting loads onto and off a vehicle, particularly an all-terrain vehicle.